| Fitness training for cricket has always
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| | Several valid reasons perhaps? In short,
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| been contentious issue. On the one hand
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| | none of them hold water.
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| the traditionalist argue that to get fit
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| | The argument For fitness training:
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| for cricket you should play cricket. On
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| | Performance - Fitness improves bowling
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| the other hand, modern theory states
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| | speed, hitting power, reaction times and
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| performance is related to how well you
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| | running speed. It does this for everyone
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| train.
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| | without fail (no matter how old). What's
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| So should you consider traditional gym
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| | more, even highly trained elite players
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| work and running to improve your fitness
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| | suffer no loss of performance through
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| for cricket?
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| | bulking up - they are not training for
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| In the modern game (even at club level)
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| | huge bodybuilder muscles and neither
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| fitness is essential.
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| | should you.
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| Let's look at the counter arguement
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| | Injury Prevention - Stronger bones,
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| first.
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| | muscles, ligaments and tendons reduce the
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| The argument against fitness training:
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| | risk of injury.
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| Fun - Fitness training is boring and no
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| | Teamwork - Training in pairs or in a team
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| fun. Who wants to pound the roads and
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| | is great for building camaraderie between
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| pound iron in a sweaty gym?
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| | teammates. Making training competitive
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| Specificity - Fitness training is highly
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| | also makes it more fun.
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| specific. Runners don't train on a bike
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| | Variation - Playing cricket is the best
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| because it's not as good as running. The
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| | way to get fit for cricket. That said,
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| only way to properly get fit for cricket
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| | the body likes variation. Different
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| is to play as much cricket as possible.
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| | activities cross train your body and keep
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| Time - Cricket is a long game and if you
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| | your mind alert.
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| are talented enough you can be playing or
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| | Health - General fitness makes you feel
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| practising almost every day. When do you
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| | and look better in the rest of your life
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| get time to squeeze in a gym session?
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| | too.
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| Age - You can't fight the march of time.
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| | So while fitness should not overtake
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| There is no point in being fit if you are
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| | skills or actually playing cricket there
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| an older player.
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| | really is only one way - from serious
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| Bulking Up - Too much weight training
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| | player to the park on a Sunday - an
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| will bulk you up and ruin your timing and
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| | organised, cricket specific training
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| technique with big muscles.
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| | plan.
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